Heidi Cruz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heidi Cruz
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Cruz in 2016
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| Born |
Heidi Suzanne Nelson
August 7, 1972 |
| Education | Claremont McKenna College (BA) Université libre de Bruxelles (MA) Harvard University (MBA) |
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| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
Heidi Suzanne Cruz (born August 7, 1972) is an American businesswoman. She is a top leader, called a managing director, at a large financial company named Goldman Sachs. She has held this important role since 2012.
Before working at Goldman Sachs, she advised George W. Bush on money matters during his 2000 presidential campaign. Later, she worked in the Bush administration. Her jobs included advising the Treasury Department and the National Security Council. In 2005, she joined Goldman Sachs.
In 2001, she married Ted Cruz, who later became a U.S. Senator. They have two daughters together. During her husband's 2016 presidential campaign, she took time off work. She helped raise money and spoke on his behalf.
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Early Life and Education
Heidi Suzanne Nelson was born on August 7, 1972. Her birthplace was San Luis Obispo, California. Her parents were Suzanne Jane, a dental hygienist, and Peter Christian Nelson, a dentist. Heidi was raised in the Seventh-day Adventist faith. Her family lived in different countries like Kenya, Nigeria, and parts of Asia. They worked there as missionaries, helping with dental health.
Heidi went to Valley View Adventist Academy in Arroyo Grande. She finished high school in 1990 at Monterey Bay Academy. This was an Adventist boarding school in La Selva Beach, California. After high school, Heidi attended Claremont McKenna College. She earned a degree in Economics and International Relations in 1994. While there, she was active in the student Republican group. She also studied abroad at the University of Strasbourg.
In 1995, she earned a master's degree in European Business. This was from the Université libre de Bruxelles in Brussels, Belgium. She later earned another master's degree, an MBA, from Harvard Business School in 2000.
Career Highlights
In 2000, Heidi Nelson worked as an economic policy director. This was for the Bush for President campaign. It was there that she met her future husband, Ted Cruz. After marrying Ted Cruz in 2001, she worked for the Bush administration. She started as a top assistant to the U.S. Trade Representative. Her main focus was on economic policy. In 2002, Cruz worked at the Department of Treasury. She was the director for the Latin America desk. She even taught herself to speak Spanish between jobs.
In 2003, Cruz worked directly for Condoleezza Rice, who was the National Security Advisor. Cruz eventually became the director for the Western Hemisphere. This was on the National Security Council. That same year, she gave a speech to the graduating class at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee. After traveling between Washington, D.C., and Texas for a year, she moved to Texas in 2004. She briefly worked for Merrill Lynch and had also worked for JPMorgan Chase. In 2005, she started her job at Goldman Sachs. She worked as a private wealth manager.
From 2005 to 2011, she was an active member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She was also part of a group that published a report in 2005. This report was about "Building a North American Community." Cruz is on the board of directors for the Greater Houston Partnership. After seven years at Goldman Sachs, Cruz was promoted in 2012. She became the regional head for the Southwest United States. This was for the Investment Management Division in Houston. In 2019, she was considered for the position of president of the World Bank.
Role in 2016 Presidential Campaign
Heidi Cruz took a break from her job without pay. She did this to help with her husband's 2016 presidential campaign. During the campaign, she often made public appearances by herself. She spoke to people on behalf of her husband.
Early Campaigning Efforts
At the start of her husband's campaign, Heidi Cruz's main job was to raise money. She called many people who might donate. Her goal was to get them to give the maximum amount allowed to the campaign. She used lists of potential donors provided by a special political group.
Starting in August 2015, Cruz regularly attended the presidential debates. Her husband participated in these debates. When asked what her role would be as First Lady, she said she wanted to improve the lives of people with less money. She explained that she was very interested in economic issues. In November 2015, she traveled to Alabama. She delivered the necessary signatures and payment for her husband to be on that state's ballot.
On December 3, Cruz returned to Texas. She filed the paperwork for her husband's name to appear on the state ballot there. She mentioned that she had filed for his name in other states too. She also said the campaign had a strong plan. She believed they had built a large group of supporters.
Campaigning During Primaries
Cruz campaigned for her husband in Iowa before the 2016 Republican caucuses. She visited the state many times. Ted Cruz won Iowa, and she believed it was because people came together. For New Hampshire, another early primary state, she made stops to gather support. In February, Cruz led a lunch for Republican women in Reno, Nevada. This was just days before that state's primary.
Many people thought Cruz's campaigning in Texas was very important. It helped her husband win his home state on Super Tuesday. At that time, Ted Cruz was expected to win Texas. Her campaigning was seen as a way to make sure they didn't take any chances. According to Cruz, she and her husband felt confident about his chances of winning. She highlighted that Texas was their home state. After Super Tuesday, Cruz also campaigned by herself in North Carolina, Illinois, and Missouri. She spoke for her husband at Fayetteville Technical Community College. She also appeared with him in Wisconsin. Weeks before the state primaries, Cruz visited Indiana. Ted Cruz stopped his campaign after losing in Indiana on May 3, 2016. Before he stopped, there was a disagreement on social media between Cruz and Donald Trump.
Personal Life
Heidi Cruz and her husband have two daughters. Their names are Caroline and Catherine. Since 2011, she has said that she earns most of the family's income. Cruz changed her church to the Southern Baptist denomination. However, she still eats a vegetarian diet. This is in keeping with her Adventist upbringing.
See also
In Spanish: Heidi Cruz para niños
